Matej Mohorič rides to brilliant stage seven victory as Sonny Colbrelli wins Benelux Tour
A final stage and general classification one-two for Bahrain Victorious

Matej Mohorič claimed another terrific trademark solo victory on stage seven of the Benelux Tour as his teammate Sonny Colbrelli wrapped up the overall title.
The Bahrain-Victorious rider attacked multiple times in the final hour’s racing, and at one point it looked as if he would steal the general classification honours from Colbrelli, the previous day's stage winner.
But the Italian reduced Mohorič's advantage and finished 11 seconds behind the Slovenian, with a fragmented chase group crossing the line shortly after a frantic day's racing in Belgium.
It is only the second GC victory of Colbrelli's career, the 31-year-old who is best known as a sprinter increasing his season win tally to five.
Mohorič, meanwhile, further staked his claim as one of the season's standout riders, the Slovenian national champion having won two stages at the Tour de France and finishing second at both the San Sebastian Classic and the Tour of Poland.
How it happened
It took more than an hour for the breakaway to be formed, but with 70km on the clock, it was a group of 11 who were permitted to hang out front, including Philippe Gilbert (Lotto-Soudal), Casper Pedersen (Team DSM), Toms Skujinš (Trek-Segafredo) and Dries Devenyns (Deceuninck – Quick-Step).
Following the first ascent of the Muur van Geraardsbergen, the peloton reduced the break’s advantage and Mohorič, second on GC, counter-attacked with Victor Campenaerts, himself third.
They were joined by Kasper Asgreen and Brandon McNulty and the four built a gap of a minute, enough to ascend Mohorič into the virtual leader’s jersey by six seconds.
They lost their advantage shortly after, but Mohorič went again on De Muur, this time bringing with him five other riders. Colbrelli was hyper-sensitive to his teammate's moves, though, and ensured that he was alongside Asgreen and Tim Wellens in chasing Mohorič, an unusual situation given they both ride for the same team.
Mohorič, however, used his time trialling expertise to build a solo lead and it wasn’t long until Colbrelli opted for damage limitation and joined the larger chasing group that was 30 seconds behind Mohorič.
At six kilometres to go, Mohorič was close to eliminating the deficit he had to Colbrelli, but then the Italian joined Tom Dumoulin (Jumbo-Visma) in attacking from the chase, reducing Mohorič’s advantage to 25 seconds.
Coming into the finishing town of Geraardsbergen, Colbrelli and Dumoulin had sufficiently reduced Mohorič’s lead to ensure that Colbrelli would win the race, but Mohorič crossed the line first to complete another phenomenal performance by the Bahrain-Victorious rider in what has been the greatest season of his career.
Results: Benelux Tour 2021, stage seven: Namur > Geraardsbergen, 178km
1. Matej Mohorič (Slo) Bahrain-Victorious at 3-50.56
2. Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain-Victorious at 11s
3. Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Jumbo-Visma, at 15s
4. Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis, at 22s
5. Fred Wright (GBr) Bahrain-Victorious, at same time
6. Danny van Poppel (Ned) intermarché - Wanty - Gobert Matériaux at 24s
7. Tom van Asbroeck (Bel) Israel Start-Up Nation
8. Greg van Avermaet (Bel) AG2R Citroën
9. Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Team DSM
10. Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe, all at same time
General classification after stage seven
1. Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain-Victorious
2. Matej Mohorič (Slo) Bahrain-Victorious
Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Chris first started writing for Cycling Weekly in 2013 on work experience and has since become a regular name in the magazine and on the website. Reporting from races, long interviews with riders from the peloton and riding features drive his love of writing about all things two wheels.
Probably a bit too obsessed with mountains, he was previously found playing and guiding in the Canadian Rockies, and now mostly lives in the Val d’Aran in the Spanish Pyrenees where he’s a ski instructor in the winter and cycling guide in the summer. He almost certainly holds the record for the most number of interviews conducted from snowy mountains.
-
-
MADE Bike Show outgrows original venue; opens ticket sales
A new handmade bike show is coming to Portland, Oregon, this fall with 200+ builders and brands from the globe over displaying their goods.
By Anne-Marije Rook • Published
-
From doubts to a first pro win: Mikkel Bjerg takes stage four and yellow jersey at Critérium du Dauphiné
Jonas Vingegaard most impressive of general classification contenders on hot day in the Loire
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Matej Mohorič considering using a dropper seatpost for Strade Bianche
The Bahrain Victorious star won Milan-San Remo in 2022 with the help of a dropper post
By Tom Thewlis • Last updated
-
Phil Bauhaus outsprints Caleb Ewan to win stage one of Tour Down Under
The German recovered from an earlier crash to beat Caleb Ewan and Michael Matthews in a bunch sprint
By Sophie Smith • Published
-
Wright on Fire: Fred Wright on his breakthrough year, almost winning, and Primož Roglič
The young Bahrain-Victorious rider is one of the hottest properties in the peloton. All he needs now is a victory.
By Adam Becket • Published
-
'Once in a lifetime': Matej Mohorič on his stunning Milan-San Remo victory in 2022
The dropper post, the daredevil descending, and the Monument win
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Matej Mohorič: ‘Fred Wright can win a monument... it’s just a question of time’
Milan-San Remo champion says that Wright has proved that he could win a monument in the future
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Bahrain Victorious still in the dark over ongoing anti-doping investigation
Spokesperson for team says that state-backed team ‘yet to receive any information regarding the investigation’
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Europol ends Bahrain Victorious anti-doping investigation
Spokesperson for the European law enforcement agency says "operational phase of the coordinated action against the use of prohibited substances is over"
By Tom Thewlis • Last updated
-
Sonny Colbrelli officially retires, months after cardiac arrhythmia scare
Former Paris-Roubaix winner speaks of "second chance", as he steps back from pro cycling
By Adam Becket • Published